Things to keep on your mind, besides academics

Your in the middle of grad school. More than likely, if your institution follows the semester system, you are up against the wall of term papers and final exams. For some, this may be your last semester. Then, the real world begins. This time last year, I was facing that situation. I was terrified. Graduating into this economy is not easy. I have applied for more jobs than I feel comfortable posting the number in the last year, and only received interviews from a select few. Several of those interviews had the posting canceled before an offer could be extended. It is a tough market.

With this in mind, you need to be able to focus your efforts. I have a huge expandable file sitting on my desk. In it, everything is quasi-neatly filed away. Copies of hard copy applications I have filed, rejection letters, and job postings each have their own folder. Also, I have a few other folders. I have a hard copy of each of my main documents. I also have one HUGE document that I do not actually send anywhere, but it is easy for me to reference while I am filling out online applications. The next several posts are each going to cover an aspect of the job search. It is a process through which I am still journeying, but hopefully my experiences will be able to help some of you.

The idea to keep everything in a massive folder actually came from a College Hacks post about maintaining an Ego Folder. It occurred to me that the same items which would help boost a discouraged ego, would also be the same things which would appeal to a recruiter. Thus my job search folder was born.

This thought process is going to need to be a series, so here is a basic outline of what I am going to cover. First, I will go over the basic job search documents you need to prepare before you even start applying for positions. Then, I will go over using technology, including social networking, to aid in your job search. Finally, I will get into how to find jobs, especially in government and higher education.